Nigeria at 57: Citizens should rise up against bad governance, says university don

Nigerian masses have been called upon to wake up and speak against all forms of bad governance which has further hindered the development of the country through self centered politics.

Abideen Olaiya from the department of Plant Science of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta in Ogun state made the call on Monday.

Dr. Olaiya who was a guest lecturer at the FUTAMGA 11th National Conference identified self-centeredness among the country’s ruling class as the bane to the growth and development of Nigeria.

He emphasized the urgent need to take power away from the hands of corrupt minds who are in power for their own private pocket and family.

Dr. Olaiya spoke at conference with the theme ‘Human Value Development in a Heterogeneous Society: Nigeria, a Case Study’, held in Akure.

“We have low people in high places and in positions of authority and this has drawn us back drastically even at 57th Independence Anniversary.

“They are low in virtually all things that can make human beings reason and be helpful to their society and fellow citizens.

“Most people that have had opportunity to rule us are of low reasoning and the few ones meant to sanitize the polity were not opportune to stay long,” he said.

He maintained that those who had been given the opportunity to rule the country before but failed should not be allowed back into power.

According to him, there should be a law banning those who failed the country from contesting the seat of power.

“We can also educate the electorate to shun them because we cannot be doing the same thing, same way and expecting positive change.

“So, the populace should wake up and say enough is enough to all these old corrupt politicians and the new ones must pass integrity test”, he said.

He added that the people mostly youths should wake up from their slumber and stop demanding for financial inducement before exercise their franchise.

Prof. Buliamu Kareem, the President of FUTAMGA said the conference was another great reunion aimed to bring all the muslim alumni together.

Kareem noted that FUTAMGA had served and was still serving as an avenue where contributions were made for its members and FUTA.

He added that this year’s theme of the conference was chosen to open the eyes of the policy makers and individuals to place premium on human value development.

The Chairman also cautioned religious leaders not to ride on their followers to amass wealth, warning political office holders to desist from making politics a business.

He, therefore, called on FUTAMGA members to be ready to key into financial contributions that would make the association’s target set achievable.

” This year conference will further support families of the deceased members in the area of children’s scholarship.

“We will continue the tree planting project on this campus, giving of scholarship awards to indigent students and we hope that everyone will make our target set a reality,” he said.

In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of FUTA, Prof. Joseph Fuwape, said that the conference’s theme was more apt at this period, considering social decadence especially in tertiary institutions.

Fuwape,who was represented by Prof. Asiwaju Bello of Department of Marine Technology, commended FUTAMGA for its transformational contributions to the school, urging its members to continue to use their largesse for the university and be good ambassadors.

Chief Imam of Akure Empire, Alhaji Sheikh Akorede, thanked FUTAMGA and its sponsors for their contributory roles to the society especially to the Muslim community.

Akorede, who was the spiritual father of the day, urged them to sustain their vital roles and called on FUTA VC to toe path of true leadership that would be welcome by Muslim community.